Those bands you get at the local stationary store (Staples, Office Max, etc.) are usually very poor quality. It is hard to beat Sig Products which are usually available at most hobby shops:very superior to those from the office supply sources.

For those swaaping out bands every 2 - 3 sessions ... I can only say the bands used must be rubbish !

I've been model flying for over 40yrs and never changed out bands that often ... but then of course I use bands designed for the job ...

UV is only an issue if you leave out in the sun ... given that we usually stow our models away inside a shed / garage / room ... and the bands in our flight box etc. - the only UV they get is when actually on the flight line.
Use of proper bands such as I use are much more UV resistant anyway ... the problem with 'Office stores' bands are most are not real rubber but compounds just not designed or intended for this sort of work.... and certainly not for outdoor use.

A good example is my Skymaster Bipe ... the tail wheel is connected to rudder by a rubber band. If I use 'Office stores' bands .... I have to change so often ... it's ridiculous But if I use a small Ben Buckle band ... theh it's there for months in fact a whole seasons use.... and she's a gasoline powered model. So much for the cheap easy to buy 'Office stores' bands.

I always buy a big bag of 64's from Staples and never have a problem... I use a new set every flying session and put the used ones in another bag, when I run out I just use them again. With nitro planes I wash the used bands with dish soap to get the oil off and bingo bango! they're like new. I find that I only ever have to buy rubber bands once a year, and for $2 per bag, I cannot be convinced that I need "high quality" rubber.

I also use the 2 bands + 2 per lb rule however, so a 5 lb trainer gets 12 rubber bands... plenty of redundancy if one happens to snap.

Also, when I put the used ones back into service, I pull them about 14 inches to make sure they don't snap... you always find a few.

Whatever you do, stay away from bands from Harbor Freight. I bought a bag of them, just for general utility, not for flying. I did use them to assemble a sailplane, just so I could put it up on the rack, about seven feet off the floor. It wasn't very long before I came out to the garage to find the fuselage on the floor and the stab and rudder in many little pieces. The wing and remains of the bands were still on the rack. I now need a whole new tail, which isn't that big of a thing to build, but rather frustrating. That whole bag of bands went to the wife for doing stationary stuff. Can't do much damage there.

I always buy a big bag of 64's from Staples and never have a problem... I use a new set every flying session and put the used ones in another bag, when I run out I just use them again. With nitro planes I wash the used bands with dish soap to get the oil off and bingo bango! they're like new. I find that I only ever have to buy rubber bands once a year, and for $2 per bag, I cannot be convinced that I need "high quality" rubber.

I also use the 2 bands + 2 per lb rule however, so a 5 lb trainer gets 12 rubber bands... plenty of redundancy if one happens to snap.

Also, when I put the used ones back into service, I pull them about 14 inches to make sure they don't snap... you always find a few.

After washing or use (clean of course !) ... throw a little talcum powder or Chalk dust in the bag as well ... takes up any moisture and stops that sticky band you get when bands are wrapped up in plastic bags ...

After washing or use (clean of course !) ... throw a little talcum powder or Chalk dust in the bag as well ... takes up any moisture and stops that sticky band you get when bands are wrapped up in plastic bags ...

Nigel

Excellent suggestion. It's been a few years since any of my fuel planes have been off the ground but I'm hoping this year is the year I get them running again.